Maybe you have heard. Maybe you haven't.Yesterday morning I stopped by Katherine's blog at Read Write and Reflect. She openly shared about the anxiety she holds as being a mom. It was sparked by the NY Times article You May Want to Marry My Husbandby Amy Krouse Rosenthal. Yes, the AKR we all know and adore. Please read it. But be prepared. It's real and heartbreaking.I read it with no realization of what I was actually reading. It still sits with me deep in my heart. Deep in my stomach. I thought about her all day.I had a little free time while my girls attended a birthday party and ended up at a Barnes and Noble. I went straight for the children's book section. I picked up this little treasure ...

I cried. At the bookstore. Reading this kid's book. Because I wonder ... did she write this before her diagnosis? Did she write it after as a love letter to her children? I just can't imagine ... I'm crying again. Find this book. Please read it. But be prepared. It's real and heartbreaking knowing more of Amy's story.AKR is such an inspiration. A positive light in this world. All her homegrown projects. Her meetings at the Bean in Chicago. Her yellow umbrella. Her celebrations of life. Her humor. Her smile. Her books. Oh, her books. This morning I spotted Plant a Kiss on my dresser. We have read it hundreds of times dragging our fingers across the kiss. I will not read it the same. Ever.Her words and stories mean so much and now they mean so much more. Carry so much more weight.This little slice is dedicated to AKR, her husband, and her children, who understand and know the power of pure joy. My deepest prayers go out to Amy for strength and continued courage. Shine on, Amy. Shine the only way you know how.

Wow. I read her article in the NYT a few days ago and wept--and I'm not a crier. Doesn't this go to show the power of words and the power a wordsmith has in explaining the world? Sometimes, I think the most important people in the world are the ones who are able to explain the world through their writing.

I read her article yesterday and was just heartbroken. It has been on my mind ever since. The power of words. I had just ordered her book That's Me Loving You. I haven't read it yet. I am sure, after reading her article, it will have me in tears.

Honestly, I had never heard of Amy until I saw her piece in the New York Times. It devastated me to read her story. I can tell she is special. I'm going to get a few of her books from the library. Thanks for writing about Amy.

I'm not familiar with her or her story. But your piece has me reflecting on my blessings, and on the important things in my life. We are all connected in this web. Thank you for writing about this.https://jet197.wordpress.com/2017/03/05/am-i-imprisoned

I read the NYT article a couple days ago, and as a woman in her 50s, I've been thinking about my own mortality and my ordinary life. I'm not as familiar w/ Kraus's children's books, but I love "Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life." Our mortality is something we all need to be aware of and use to life life fully.

What an extraordinary woman AKR is. I'm sure that I've read her books with the girls, but need to check them out at the library. She has a gift for writing and has made me think about how blessed I am to have a loving husband and family.

Two days after I read AKR's post for the first time, my eyes well up when I just think of it. I have not read That's Me Loving You, but when I do in the near future, I will also read it with different eyes. Thanks for making this post a tribute to this amazing lady who has accomplished so much.

I read AKR's letter during my lunch hour on Friday. And cried. Read it again yesterday. And cried. I love all of her books. My favorite AKR book is I WISH YOU MORE. I need to read THAT'S ME LOVING YOU. So, so sad.

Until the piece about her husband in the newspaper, I really did not know very much about Amy Krouse Rosenthal. I read (and watched) more online with Facebook, YouTube, Instagram...and I ordered her books. I followed her daughter on Instagram.

So inspirational.

Last summer, I tried to write every day. In July, I wrote at least one sentence. In August, I wrote every day with something inspired by her. Textbook and the Instagrams by Paris were so moving towards saving things for my own family. I continued on in the fall.

About this Blog

I am a reading specialist at an elementary school. I have an obsession with kid's books, anything chocolate, new technology, and learning all that my brain can possibly absorb! I'm also loving my husband and adorable seven year old twin daughters. Balancing is oh-so-important and oh-so-difficult!